Archive for December, 2007
Just wanted to say Merry Christmas from Tanzania!
I have tried using my car for dog vaccination for couple of days last week. Good news is that now I have reached 2,611 dogs. Bad news is that my car broke down even further. I am driving back to Nairobi to fix my car now…
Other parts which broke this week due to bad road condition include: roof carrier, bonnet hindge, power window, gear box (again!!) and rear bumper. I have managed to get sponsor for vaccination campaign in Febuary (I am going to be away from Kenya from this week to end of January on business trip). However, I will not be able to work due to lack of vehicle. We are still looking for donation to cover the balance for the vehicle fund.
Couple of nights ago, I accompanied the Mara Conservancy rangers on their anit-poaching patrol. It was great opportunity to witness the ranger’s commitment in protecting wildlife of Mara. The rangers found dried wildebeest and zebra meat in the field during the day and were doing a night ambush on poachers.
Unfortunately, poachers sensed something and they took off before rangers could close in on them. The warden tells me that they will be doing another ambush on the following night.
Last night I received an email notification on my grant status for vehicle purchase. The organization has granted me USD5,000! Now this is the breakdown of already secured vehicle fund. USD 5,000 – Grant from USA
My good friend Kimojino, Mara Conservancy’s Assistant Warden has just started blogging. The blog is called Mara Triangle. He is extremely hard working guy who is constantly out on the field patrol looking after wildlife. He also got this great enthusiasm to learn new things and he was thrilled to be given an opportunity to blog (although he thinks he started ‘blocking’ and not ‘blogging’). Internet is new to him and so is computer, but his stories will be an interesting one. Will from Wildlifedirect office is currently here to help Kimojino learn how to blog!
Unusually heavy storm came to the Mara. It started raining heavily in the last couple of days, with rain continuing into the early morning hours.
I was visiting the wildlife reserve with Will from Wildlifedirect who is helping Kimojino (Mara Conservancy’s Assistant Warden) start his blog here in the Mara Triangle. We came across very interesting scene after all night storm. Several wildebeests were reported to be struck by lightning. When we arrived at the scene, we found total of 34 wildebeest and 4 zebra dead within half a km! Majority of them were sub-adult animals and most likely were not victim of lightning as it was reported by rangers, but simply due to heavy all night rain. However, some were quite distinctively a lightning case as carcass still had burnt hair smell from it.
Jack Russell Terrier, Yamato, is fully recovered now. The swelling has gone down completely and the pain subsided. Now, she is back to her normal business chasing lizards and birds in the garden. It is amazing how much the inbred instinct is strong in this breed, it is almost impossible to stop them from hunting small animals.
Talking about hunting instinct, my maid Jane’s grey cat brought back the body of the snake killed by Yamato from nearby bush and made Jane scream by placing it on top of her bed. Later he was tossing around a dead frog and off course he had to show Jane what a splendid prey he caught by putting it on top of her table…
My Jack Russell Terrier, Yamato, killed a snake this morning. I was not so sure what type it was as I am no expert on snakes and my worker threw the snake before I could see it. It was green and maybe 40cm long. Just before she bit off the head of the snake, it bit her lip in retaliation. Within 10 minutes, her face started to swell badly.
I treated her symptomatically, but I was worried all morning since I did not know whether the snake was venomous or not. Now she is alert and moving around, but she is in obvious pain as she cannot even sleep with her head down.
I forgot that I have uploaded this video footage months ago. It is footage of vultures feeding on carrion. Yes, it was me who spooked the vultures by leaning out of the car window too much. Sorry! (but they came back to carcass within a minute)
I just got a November report and here is the current breakdown of vehicle donation from wildlifedirect. Thank you everybody for all your help!! November Donation October Donation Current Total Donation Towards Vehicle Fund - $470
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